Vellore: The Coventry University Group and Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) are collaborating to explore how generative AI (GenAI) can help solve persistent challenges in hydrogen transportation, particularly the issue of hydrogen embrittlement.
Addressing a Key Risk in Hydrogen Supply Chains
Hydrogen is central to global clean energy strategies, but its transportation raises significant safety concerns. One of the major technical barriers is Hydrogen Embrittlement (H2E) — a process where metals such as steel, iron, and nickel become brittle due to hydrogen infiltration. This phenomenon can cause structural failures and increase the risk of leakage, posing hazards for large-scale hydrogen supply and storage systems.
To address this, researchers from Coventry University’s Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) and Centre for Advanced Low Carbon Propulsion Systems (CALPS) have partnered with engineering experts from VIT. The focus is on developing AI-led solutions that could predict, simulate, and eventually mitigate material degradation linked to hydrogen exposure.
AI at the Centre of the Research
The two-year initiative, funded under the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) by the British Council, is set to run until 2026. The team will use generative AI models to simulate hydrogen interaction with different alloys, aiming to identify safer and more cost-effective methods of transport and storage.
The project is led by Dr Arivazhagan Anbalagan, Assistant Professor in Digital Manufacturing at Coventry University, and Dr Margret Anouncia S, Professor of Software Systems at VIT. Both institutions aim to integrate materials science with AI to provide predictive tools that industry can adopt for safer hydrogen infrastructure.
UK-India Joint Research Underlines Global Clean Energy Push
This collaboration reflects a broader trend of international academic partnerships focused on accelerating research into net-zero technologies. By combining UK and Indian expertise in manufacturing, software systems, and digital simulation, the project also supports policy and infrastructure shifts needed for the clean energy transition.
While still in early stages, the research could help inform future engineering standards for hydrogen-based fuel systems, especially in sectors such as transport and energy storage.
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